Different Video and Audio connection cables and types
VIDEO CONNECTIONS
| |
 | Component Video: The signal is split into three parts, luminance information (Y), two channels of color (Pr & Pb) - terminated by three RCA connections (or once in a while with a locking connector called BNC). Component is the best possible connection for many devices. DVDs store video information in the component form - and so connecting your DVD player to the TV using a component video cable offers the path of least transformation and results in the best quality. |
| |
 | S-Video: In S-Video, the signal is split two ways - luminance (Y) and color (C) - terminated by a single terminal that looks similar to a computer keyboard/mouse PS2 terminal. Provides a high quality connection. |
| |
 | Composite Video: The composite video signal combines all information into a single signal path - terminated by a single RCA jack. Usually considered one of the lowest quality video connections. |
| |
More on Quality: On a normal direct view TV one may not see much difference in quality between S-Video and component video. But on large screen, RPTV and HDTV the difference will be obvious. If your TV is large RPTV or a HDTV, then you would want to connect using component video cables. If your TV is relatively small (less than 36") direct view TV, S-Video may provide the optimum quality
AUDIO CONNECTIONS
 | Analog - RCA: Most commonly used analog interconnect. Normally available as pairs of cables - Left (white) and Right (red) to connect stereo equipments. Mostly 50-Ohm cables. This is also used to connect the sub-woofer at a line level. The sub-woofer cables can be of a specialty cable - they do not connect the equipments electrically; in this case the cable will also be directional. |
|
|
 | Digital Coaxial /Digital RCA: Digital interconnects used to connect digital equipments such as DVD players. Uses the similar terminal as the analog RCA cables, but the impedance must be at least 75 Ohm. |
|
|
 | Digital Optical / Toslink: Common optical link between digital components such as DVD, CD and MD players. Made of glass fibers, much thinner than the digital coaxial cables. Has a square plastic connector that often has cover / plug to protect the terminator when not used. |
|
|
 | Balanced / XLR: A fairly large 3-pin locking terminal, used in high-end audio equipments. Commonly seen in microphones power amplifiers to carry balanced line level analog audio signals. Rarely found with different number of pins (2 to 7). |
|
|
 | DB-25: Mostly used in the computer world as the SCSI interface, sometimes used in high-end audio equipments to carry multi-channel signal. |
|
|
OTHER AUDIO/VIDEO CONNECTIONS
 | VGA/SVGA: A 15 pin D connector most commonly used to connect monitors to computers. Sometimes used in Digital TVs and projectors. Usually carries video signal on 5 lines (Red, Green, Blue, Horiz Sync, Vert Sync)- and can often outperform component connections. |
|
|
 | BNC: Bayonet style locking connector – used in high-end video equipments and some high definition tuner/receiver. |
|
|
 | F-Type: This is 75-Ohm coaxial cable is most commonly used to connect cable TV feed to your system. Available in both threaded and non-threaded form. |
|
|
 | SCART/Peritel: – A multi pin connector commonly used in European countries to carry both audio/video signals. The same cable/terminal can be used to carry different type of video (RGB, S-Video and Composite) and analog stereo audio signals. |
|
|
For another look at these various connectors and connector types, you can check out our friend Chris White's excellent connector glossary here:
http://white.hometheatertalk.com/connectorglossary.htm
images added by V. Maskeeper 11/19/02